Seems whenever I try a new diet, been from Vegan to bodybuilding to alternate day fasting to calorie restriction to calorie cycling to hflc over the past 15 years, I always lose about 10 pounds easily, then plateau, no matter the diet philosophy.

Same thing now. I lost 10 lbs last winter with IF, then after several months of misery didn't lose any more. Changed to keto this spring and lost another 10 lbs quickly again. But since then nothing, and I have even gained a bit of it back.

I have about 10 lbs left to go so that I can get my old clothes back on comfortably, and it feels like I am beating a dead horse. It is hard to stay motivated.

Anyone been through this? Was wondering if I should try something different for awhile and come back to this. Anything the compliments keto well to change things up for a plateau?

My 15 yr old daughter needed to lose almost 20 lbs, and she went keto with me, and hasn't lost anything at all. So she is eager to try something else as well. Last year she lost over 10 lbs with just calorie restriction, so she is looking for something with more long term sustainability.

Seems whenever I try a new diet, been from Vegan to bodybuilding to alternate day fasting to calorie restriction to calorie cycling to hflc over the past 15 years, I always lose about 10 pounds easily, then plateau, no matter the diet philosophy.

Same thing now. I lost 10 lbs last winter with IF, then after several months of misery didn't lose any more. Changed to keto this spring and lost another 10 lbs quickly again. But since then nothing, and I have even gained a bit of it back.

I have about 10 lbs left to go so that I can get my old clothes back on comfortably, and it feels like I am beating a dead horse. It is hard to stay motivated.

Anyone been through this? Was wondering if I should try something different for awhile and come back to this. Anything the compliments keto well to change things up for a plateau?

My 15 yr old daughter needed to lose almost 20 lbs, and she went keto with me, and hasn't lost anything at all. So she is eager to try something else as well. Last year she lost over 10 lbs with just calorie restriction, so she is looking for something with more long term sustainability.

Pick me, Pick me! We must be twin separated at birth. I have a terribly hard time losing and then sustaining. I pretty much know that I have to stay to a strict low carb lifestyle to even maintain and it pretty much seems fat fasting is the only way to lose. Have you tried a fat fast? Kathy

Seems whenever I try a new diet, been from Vegan to bodybuilding to alternate day fasting to calorie restriction to calorie cycling to hflc over the past 15 years, I always lose about 10 pounds easily, then plateau, no matter the diet philosophy.

Same thing now. I lost 10 lbs last winter with IF, then after several months of misery didn't lose any more. Changed to keto this spring and lost another 10 lbs quickly again. But since then nothing, and I have even gained a bit of it back.

I have about 10 lbs left to go so that I can get my old clothes back on comfortably, and it feels like I am beating a dead horse. It is hard to stay motivated.

Anyone been through this? Was wondering if I should try something different for awhile and come back to this. Anything the compliments keto well to change things up for a plateau?

My 15 yr old daughter needed to lose almost 20 lbs, and she went keto with me, and hasn't lost anything at all. So she is eager to try something else as well. Last year she lost over 10 lbs with just calorie restriction, so she is looking for something with more long term sustainability.

I agree with Kathy about upping your fat. Maybe cut your carbs down and eat less protein. If you only have a few to lose, also try cutting your total calories. Drink only water meaning no soda. Maybe you are at the weight that you body likes. As we get older, our bodies like to have a few more pounds.
Carolyn

I've been doing primarily keto since a year ago (July, 2012). Low carb on the recent days I've slipped by eating too many berries.

Losing weight has been a REAL struggle for me. I also did the 10 pound thing then stall, then more tweaks, a few more pounds, and another stall. When I stalled, I had to look very closely and see what I needed to do as my body changed.

In keto, if I want to lose weight, I have to limit my calories to about 1100-1400 and keep my protein under 60 GRAMS (not a percentage--a hard limit). Most days I try to keep protein at about 40 grams and keep fat high at 85% of my total calories for that day.

And now that I'm about 10-15 lbs from my ultimate goal, I haven't lost anything for about 4 months now, but I've been a bit careless re staying keto and have been eating more berries and higher calories in general. At least I haven't regained weight!

I think it just gets harder and harder to lose as we approach our goal, and as LovetoKnit said, maybe your body is where it wants to be--even though culturally it may not be your ideal. I'm struggling with that concept now...my head wants me to lose another 10-15 lbs, but my body may be telling me that it's happy where it is.

I've been doing primarily keto since a year ago (July, 2012). Low carb on the recent days I've slipped by eating too many berries.

Losing weight has been a REAL struggle for me. I also did the 10 pound thing then stall, then more tweaks, a few more pounds, and another stall. When I stalled, I had to look very closely and see what I needed to do as my body changed.

In keto, if I want to lose weight, I have to limit my calories to about 1100-1400 and keep my protein under 60 GRAMS (not a percentage--a hard limit). Most days I try to keep protein at about 40 grams and keep fat high at 85% of my total calories for that day.

And now that I'm about 10-15 lbs from my ultimate goal, I haven't lost anything for about 4 months now, but I've been a bit careless re staying keto and have been eating more berries and higher calories in general. At least I haven't regained weight!

I think it just gets harder and harder to lose as we approach our goal, and as LovetoKnit said, maybe your body is where it wants to be--even though culturally it may not be your ideal. I'm struggling with that concept now...my head wants me to lose another 10-15 lbs, but my body may be telling me that it's happy where it is.

I hear you! I am up a POUND today, so in two days I've lost almost all the weight I lost fat fasting! I'm thinkin' of fry up some worms today!
Evidently the bit of extra protein does not agree with me, not sure where to cut back!

I hear you! I am up a POUND today, so in two days I've lost almost all the weight I lost fat fasting! I'm thinkin' of fry up some worms today!
Evidently the bit of extra protein does not agree with me, not sure where to cut back!

I have been low carb for many years (when I was counting calories I couldn't justify the calories of bread, pasta, and chose veggies over fruit...but I also cut out most fat.)

My husband is slim and fit, but not on board with the low carb lifestyle, and wants us to do a juice fast (like "Fat, Sick, and Mostly Dead," even though he has never heard of nor watched it). He is more into intuitive eating, and eating a lot of meat and fat upsets his stomach, as do carbs later in the day. I think he has some sort of slow gastric emptying condition, but it is not severe enough he wants to seek treatment for it. I tried to convince him to do GAPS, but all the meat was a deal breaker. He makes his own breakfast and lunch at work, and eats what I cook when he is home, but usually has just a little meat and adds some starch like the kids' sandwich bread, or has fruit for dessert.

Maybe I should try a juice fast with him, marital placation and all that, then go back to maintenance on my normal low carb thing.

He kind of cut me off from intermittent fasting because I was so grumpy and distressed, getting depressed, so any kind of juice or fat fast scares me. I home school six kids, and my youngest is only 14 months, so I cannot go back to being hungry and griping at them all day.

If I am already strictly doing low carb, is reducing calories/portion size my only other option? I don't eat any grain, fruit, starchy veggies, no legumes at all, no processed food (not even low carb fake homemade baked goods), no lean meat, higher carb nuts like cashews, pean"nuts", not even almonds, nor drink anything other than water.
My meals are mostly pastured eggs, uncured sausage, chicken thighs, cream cheese, cream, Parmesan, salad and leafy or cruciferous veggies, a small handful of nuts only for nighttime munchies like brazil, macadamia, walnuts, or pecans, and maybe once a week have a grapefruit if I really need something sweet. I am enjoying not being hungry, was thrilled at the initial weight loss, but frustrated with the same old same old stall as I always get after a jump start.

I cheated last Friday night on purpose, a potluck dessert party: I went on a total bender! Was hoping to shake things up and recreate that initial induction phase loss, but I gained several pounds and haven't lost any since! I have even added some 24-hour fasting back in a time or two a week (skip breakfast and lunch, eat a normal dinner).

I have been low carb for many years (when I was counting calories I couldn't justify the calories of bread, pasta, and chose veggies over fruit...but I also cut out most fat.)

My husband is slim and fit, but not on board with the low carb lifestyle, and wants us to do a juice fast (like "Fat, Sick, and Mostly Dead," even though he has never heard of nor watched it). He is more into intuitive eating, and eating a lot of meat and fat upsets his stomach, as do carbs later in the day. I think he has some sort of slow gastric emptying condition, but it is not severe enough he wants to seek treatment for it. I tried to convince him to do GAPS, but all the meat was a deal breaker. He makes his own breakfast and lunch at work, and eats what I cook when he is home, but usually has just a little meat and adds some starch like the kids' sandwich bread, or has fruit for dessert.

Maybe I should try a juice fast with him, marital placation and all that, then go back to maintenance on my normal low carb thing.

He kind of cut me off from intermittent fasting because I was so grumpy and distressed, getting depressed, so any kind of juice or fat fast scares me. I home school six kids, and my youngest is only 14 months, so I cannot go back to being hungry and griping at them all day.

If I am already strictly doing low carb, is reducing calories/portion size my only other option? I don't eat any grain, fruit, starchy veggies, no legumes at all, no processed food (not even low carb fake homemade baked goods), no lean meat, higher carb nuts like cashews, pean"nuts", not even almonds, nor drink anything other than water.
My meals are mostly pastured eggs, uncured sausage, chicken thighs, cream cheese, cream, Parmesan, salad and leafy or cruciferous veggies, a small handful of nuts only for nighttime munchies like brazil, macadamia, walnuts, or pecans, and maybe once a week have a grapefruit if I really need something sweet. I am enjoying not being hungry, was thrilled at the initial weight loss, but frustrated with the same old same old stall as I always get after a jump start.

I cheated last Friday night on purpose, a potluck dessert party: I went on a total bender! Was hoping to shake things up and recreate that initial induction phase loss, but I gained several pounds and haven't lost any since! I have even added some 24-hour fasting back in a time or two a week (skip breakfast and lunch, eat a normal dinner).

Frustrated. My daughter is frustrated.

Well I just answered this and see it did not show up. Emma, I feel your pain and understand entirely! I've almost gained back all I lost FFing last week! I am going back to HIGH FAT lunches and breakfast and then salad and small protein for dinner and see what that does. This is just insane. You and your daughter are welcome to join me

I have been low carb for many years (when I was counting calories I couldn't justify the calories of bread, pasta, and chose veggies over fruit...but I also cut out most fat.)

My husband is slim and fit, but not on board with the low carb lifestyle, and wants us to do a juice fast (like "Fat, Sick, and Mostly Dead," even though he has never heard of nor watched it). He is more into intuitive eating, and eating a lot of meat and fat upsets his stomach, as do carbs later in the day. I think he has some sort of slow gastric emptying condition, but it is not severe enough he wants to seek treatment for it. I tried to convince him to do GAPS, but all the meat was a deal breaker. He makes his own breakfast and lunch at work, and eats what I cook when he is home, but usually has just a little meat and adds some starch like the kids' sandwich bread, or has fruit for dessert.

Maybe I should try a juice fast with him, marital placation and all that, then go back to maintenance on my normal low carb thing.

He kind of cut me off from intermittent fasting because I was so grumpy and distressed, getting depressed, so any kind of juice or fat fast scares me. I home school six kids, and my youngest is only 14 months, so I cannot go back to being hungry and griping at them all day.

If I am already strictly doing low carb, is reducing calories/portion size my only other option? I don't eat any grain, fruit, starchy veggies, no legumes at all, no processed food (not even low carb fake homemade baked goods), no lean meat, higher carb nuts like cashews, pean"nuts", not even almonds, nor drink anything other than water.
My meals are mostly pastured eggs, uncured sausage, chicken thighs, cream cheese, cream, Parmesan, salad and leafy or cruciferous veggies, a small handful of nuts only for nighttime munchies like brazil, macadamia, walnuts, or pecans, and maybe once a week have a grapefruit if I really need something sweet. I am enjoying not being hungry, was thrilled at the initial weight loss, but frustrated with the same old same old stall as I always get after a jump start.

I cheated last Friday night on purpose, a potluck dessert party: I went on a total bender! Was hoping to shake things up and recreate that initial induction phase loss, but I gained several pounds and haven't lost any since! I have even added some 24-hour fasting back in a time or two a week (skip breakfast and lunch, eat a normal dinner).

Hi Emmapal. I wanted to share with you that I have been where you are many times. I don't know your age, but with a 15 year old, you are likely to be younger than me! I have a 22, and 26 yo girls, I am 52. I can tell you that I have been Low Carb for years, many, many years. I experienced a gain when hormones ran out and quickly put on some pounds that I had not had for company in a long time. Trying to get it off was horrible. I struggled, went with all my old tricks, nothing worked so to speak. I was watching my DH lose weight steady with his first adventure with LC, that is always frustrating to us girls! So I gave up all grains, breads, and no sugar, nah dah! That was okay for maintaining, not gaining more. Then I found NK...went head first into this WOE. Loved not being hungry, but I didn't lose more than 3 lbs in a period of months. I also experienced extreme nausea with the high fat, and coconut oil does not agree with me at all. Then eggs disagreed with me. In a fit of frustration, and stress at work, I started walking more for relief. Then I decided that I had to reduce the fat, and needed something for relief of the endless nausea and GERD symptoms that came on with NK for me. I started eating a small fuji apple after protein at lunch. Ah, symptoms relieved. Then I realized I needed more protein, so I increased the protein, added a veggie or two at supper, and felt better. I added protein powder/Fage yogurt/coconut milk thick shake for breakfast, and stopped measuring, just had small servings that stopped the hunger. Grilled chicken for lunch, apple. Afternoon would be 2 oz cheese, supper is protein, meat, chicken, fish, and two veggies, never starchy, and now, that 10 lbs is gone. I also did the hormone testing, and added back my hormones....I have maintained this for nearly five months, and it's not a struggle. It is possible to find your "sweet spot"...but you may have to tinker with the macros, and realize that we all don't fit into one NK pattern. I eat higher protein, moderate fat, low carb, no grains, no bread, no sugar (rule broken a little with Lindt 90% dark chocolate a couple squares here and there), but adding moving, not heavy exercise, more walking, up stairs whenever possible. I have worked with a few ladies in their 40s, early 50s, for losing weight, and when they added BHRT (especially DHEA), and stayed with LC protein over 90g a day, it started working for them too. I have no clue what total calories per day I consume; I just try to eat moderately, which I define, as enough to stop the hunger, not too much to feel full, and mostly to not think about it. If I get hungry between meals, I eat a little something, and move on to something else, another task, activity, etc. Adding the apple, a peach sometimes, few blueberries or strawberries in the early afternoon, after protein has balanced me out again. Only you can figure this out for you....my DH eats his version of LC, but his doesn't work for me. You may need to track, and work with the macros, eating too much protein will convert to glucose, so that's a careful balance as well. Don't give up, but don't torture yourself either...you need to keep the mind clear for those wonderful children...you don't want to get possessed with food and miss your time to enjoy them!

Thx for your story. I agree that customizing things has to be done experimentally as of yet we really don't have genetic or personalized health care! It would be nice if someone could just tell me based on my blood work I guess I have to play around tweaking some things. I am almost 37 next month.

My mom was BRCA positive and died of ovarian cancer, one sister is positive, so while I tested negative for BRCA (hey, personalized blood work health care!) I am living like I am positive just short of prophylactic surgery (which my mom made me promise to do years ago, but I don't think I can now). That in part means trying to keep my estrogen low: no HRT, no birth control, no natural yams or soy, etc. I am even switching to all raw dairy and pastured animal products to further limit any endocrine disruptors introduced by modern conventional agriculture. I know that this makes it harder for me to stay slim as I age.

Am I to the point where lowering food intake is my only option? Doesn't this support the LC naysayers who all we are doing is lowering calories because fat is satiating? If I need to eat less, then at least it tastes better on HFLC than it ever did on straight calorie restriction. I'm not hungry now, and I really enjoyed a hunger-free weight loss. Sigh...

Just dreading having to count or track things again. I made myself crazy with that, but mostly I have been crazy hungry for years minus the times I said I don't care anymore and promptly put on 15 lbs. I lost the baby weight and even the extra 15 I gained before I got pregnant, but I am older and less fit, so I probably need to lose a bit more to get my old clothes fitting properly. I sew, so it is depressing when my custom made clothing doesn't fit: it tells me exactly what happened to my body these past few years!

The good news is that I did lose 3 pounds this week by just reducing portion sizes and less snacks, so I am almost back to where I was a few weeks ago, and I am still 10 lbs down from where I before HFLC/NK a month or two ago. I've lost about 20 lbs this past year with another 8-10 or so to go.

Emmapal, I am so sorry to hear of your Mother's death and the cancer risks in your family. I feel compelled to point out to you that there is emerging science that eating a ketogenic diet may be very beneficial in this area. I am posting a study link and a link to a blog that may be of interest to you...

I really hope this isn't too presumptuous and that it is of some help to you. It is too hard for me to share this information or anything like it to the people in my real life that are struggling with cancer - risking that they would see it as an intrusion to an already difficult situation but you don't hold the same weight and I wonder what you think about it all.....? I could really learn from your response. Thank you and congrats on controlling your weight so well! It is not an easy feat.

__________________Cathy
Original start - Feb. 2000 180/125

"The energy content of food (calories) matters, but it is less important than the metabolic effect of food on our body." Dr. P. Attia

Thank you for the links: I will read them all. And thank you for your sensitivity. She died six years ago, and today would be her 70th birthday.

I am very interested in the nutritional contribution to chronic disease and consider cancer to be at the top of the pyramid of western diet failures. What we see is that prevention takes much less extreme response than treatment, so I would like to stay there.

When I used to eat sugar (and fat, but I have been reeducated on that front), I felt like I was taking a break to preserve my mental state, dieting is hard! But I see it now as a true poison like alcohol. When I am tempted I can more easily decline when I think of how strict I would need to be to really prevent disease.

That has the added side effect of staying slim, which for cultural reasons is also very appealing to me. I am frustrated on both fronts because I feel I am being strict, but my clothes are telling me differently. I am in such a state of flux learning these lessons about hormones and metabolism on weight loss (rather than my old calories in and out hard math approach), that I don't really know what to do to "tighten my belt."

My daughter is in tears because she didn't lose any weight this past month or two, and her youth retreat (1,000 kids and lots of boys) is next week. She is saying all the same things I say. She feels healthy, she feels her weight is normal (her BMI was one point into the "at risk for overweight" category at her recent physical), that she has no health problems, pains, etc, and that losing weight is only for vanity when she is working hard to not care what others think about her. Especially since she really did make a good and solid run at the HFLC diet with zero results, I have no good answers for her.

Hi Ladies! Think it would be all right if I joined you? I've been lurking for a few weeks, and it seems that this group has many of the same challenges that I have with weight loss and gain.

Friday will be one week on NT for me, and I'm terribly afraid that I will find that I've gained weight. I always gain. It's been especially bad since menopause.

Emmapal, I'm following NK for personal reasons also. My mom passed away from the complications of Type 2 diabetes. Kidney failure. I'm headed right down that path, and I swore to myself I wouldn't, but it seems that after menopause hit for me I can no longer control my weight with LC. So I saw a Jimmy Moore post about his NK success recently and was really impressed that he was able to kick start his weight loss again with high fat/moderate protein/low carb. I'm a meat-a-holic, so this is truly a new experience for me. I'm also watching my calories, and making sure I stick between 1200 and 1400 per day.

And of course I log, log, log, log, log. I hate logging, but here I am again making a note of everything that goes into my mouth. At least it keeps me honest, but I'm so sick of dieting and logging just seems to make it too real for me. It's so frustrating.

So Friday is first weigh-in for me. From what I understand, it takes a couple of weeks for NK to kick in and for the weight loss to start. But I'm also afraid I'll gain during this time, and will once again be in a situation with a diet where every one keeps telling me to just wait it out. And by the time I throw in the towel, I'm up 15 more pounds.

Sorry for the long post/rant. I just wanted to put it all out on the table for all of you. Not that many people in this world that can understand how truly difficult this is.

Hi Ladies! Think it would be all right if I joined you? I've been lurking for a few weeks, and it seems that this group has many of the same challenges that I have with weight loss and gain.

Friday will be one week on NT for me, and I'm terribly afraid that I will find that I've gained weight. I always gain. It's been especially bad since menopause.

Emmapal, I'm following NK for personal reasons also. My mom passed away from the complications of Type 2 diabetes. Kidney failure. I'm headed right down that path, and I swore to myself I wouldn't, but it seems that after menopause hit for me I can no longer control my weight with LC. So I saw a Jimmy Moore post about his NK success recently and was really impressed that he was able to kick start his weight loss again with high fat/moderate protein/low carb. I'm a meat-a-holic, so this is truly a new experience for me. I'm also watching my calories, and making sure I stick between 1200 and 1400 per day.

And of course I log, log, log, log, log. I hate logging, but here I am again making a note of everything that goes into my mouth. At least it keeps me honest, but I'm so sick of dieting and logging just seems to make it too real for me. It's so frustrating.

So Friday is first weigh-in for me. From what I understand, it takes a couple of weeks for NK to kick in and for the weight loss to start. But I'm also afraid I'll gain during this time, and will once again be in a situation with a diet where every one keeps telling me to just wait it out. And by the time I throw in the towel, I'm up 15 more pounds.

Sorry for the long post/rant. I just wanted to put it all out on the table for all of you. Not that many people in this world that can understand how truly difficult this is.

Of course it is okay for you to join us, misery loves company, right???
I am hoping you are going to be pleasantly surprised on Friday and have a loss! What are you eating??
Kathy

Thank you Kathy! Yesterday I ate 78% fat /16% protein /6% carbs. It's been hovering around that for the entire week. And to be honest, so far I do love the food. There was only one day that I was actually really hungry after my morning breakfast.

So I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed that this time is THE time! I really don't want to be a Skinny Minnie, I just want to lose enough to move into the "Not Overweight" category on the BMI scale. I was there about 8 years ago, and have put it all back on. I also want to be able to start back into Bikram Yoga, which I so loved in days gone by. But with the extra weight on, I just feel like a fool in that class.

OK, I'm rambling again. It looks to me like you're almost at goal. Like within 1-2 pounds. That is absolutely awesome!!! Did you do that with a combo of LC and NK? And thanks again for the warm welcome.

I have been low carb for many years (when I was counting calories I couldn't justify the calories of bread, pasta, and chose veggies over fruit...but I also cut out most fat.)

My husband is slim and fit, but not on board with the low carb lifestyle, and wants us to do a juice fast (like "Fat, Sick, and Mostly Dead," even though he has never heard of nor watched it). He is more into intuitive eating, and eating a lot of meat and fat upsets his stomach, as do carbs later in the day. I think he has some sort of slow gastric emptying condition, but it is not severe enough he wants to seek treatment for it. I tried to convince him to do GAPS, but all the meat was a deal breaker. He makes his own breakfast and lunch at work, and eats what I cook when he is home, but usually has just a little meat and adds some starch like the kids' sandwich bread, or has fruit for dessert.

Maybe I should try a juice fast with him, marital placation and all that, then go back to maintenance on my normal low carb thing.

He kind of cut me off from intermittent fasting because I was so grumpy and distressed, getting depressed, so any kind of juice or fat fast scares me. I home school six kids, and my youngest is only 14 months, so I cannot go back to being hungry and griping at them all day.

If I am already strictly doing low carb, is reducing calories/portion size my only other option? I don't eat any grain, fruit, starchy veggies, no legumes at all, no processed food (not even low carb fake homemade baked goods), no lean meat, higher carb nuts like cashews, pean"nuts", not even almonds, nor drink anything other than water.
My meals are mostly pastured eggs, uncured sausage, chicken thighs, cream cheese, cream, Parmesan, salad and leafy or cruciferous veggies, a small handful of nuts only for nighttime munchies like brazil, macadamia, walnuts, or pecans, and maybe once a week have a grapefruit if I really need something sweet. I am enjoying not being hungry, was thrilled at the initial weight loss, but frustrated with the same old same old stall as I always get after a jump start.

I cheated last Friday night on purpose, a potluck dessert party: I went on a total bender! Was hoping to shake things up and recreate that initial induction phase loss, but I gained several pounds and haven't lost any since! I have even added some 24-hour fasting back in a time or two a week (skip breakfast and lunch, eat a normal dinner).

Frustrated. My daughter is frustrated.

For some people cream cheese, cream, other cheese, and nuts can be a problem. I cannot eat nuts. They stall me. The more carbs you eat, the slower the weight loss. Also if you do eat carbs try not to have more than 5 carbs in 4 hours. That means just adding a few carbs to each meal if you feel that you need them. My husband and I quit eating after 6 pm. That has helped a lot. I am sure that the several pounds that you gained when you splurged was just water. Sometimes it takes a while to lose it again. Eating too much protein is definitely a problem for me. I keep my protein pretty low. If I was eating a high carb diet, I would be hungry all of the time. Eating this way is still so easy. I don't eat many carbs and I really do not miss them.
Carolyn

Hi Ladies! Think it would be all right if I joined you? I've been lurking for a few weeks, and it seems that this group has many of the same challenges that I have with weight loss and gain.

Friday will be one week on NT for me, and I'm terribly afraid that I will find that I've gained weight. I always gain. It's been especially bad since menopause.

Emmapal, I'm following NK for personal reasons also. My mom passed away from the complications of Type 2 diabetes. Kidney failure. I'm headed right down that path, and I swore to myself I wouldn't, but it seems that after menopause hit for me I can no longer control my weight with LC. So I saw a Jimmy Moore post about his NK success recently and was really impressed that he was able to kick start his weight loss again with high fat/moderate protein/low carb. I'm a meat-a-holic, so this is truly a new experience for me. I'm also watching my calories, and making sure I stick between 1200 and 1400 per day.

And of course I log, log, log, log, log. I hate logging, but here I am again making a note of everything that goes into my mouth. At least it keeps me honest, but I'm so sick of dieting and logging just seems to make it too real for me. It's so frustrating.

So Friday is first weigh-in for me. From what I understand, it takes a couple of weeks for NK to kick in and for the weight loss to start. But I'm also afraid I'll gain during this time, and will once again be in a situation with a diet where every one keeps telling me to just wait it out. And by the time I throw in the towel, I'm up 15 more pounds.

Sorry for the long post/rant. I just wanted to put it all out on the table for all of you. Not that many people in this world that can understand how truly difficult this is.

Welcome! That is good that you log everything. If you gain, you can then go back and look at what you eat and make adjustments. Don't wait until you are up 15 pounds to make adjustments. If you go up a pound or two when it is not the time of the month, then make some adjustments to what you eat. Maybe eat less protein, fewer carbs, even less fat if you are overeating it. Or give up some foods that can be problems for us women. It does take at least 3 months to know what works best for you. It took me a quite a while to tweak things so I lose consistently. At first I lost about 5 pounds and then it was up and down and up and down. But now I lose every week a little more than a pound. I am 56 so it takes me longer. When I was in my 30's I could lose just like that.
Carolyn

Thank you for the links: I will read them all. And thank you for your sensitivity. She died six years ago, and today would be her 70th birthday.

I am very interested in the nutritional contribution to chronic disease and consider cancer to be at the top of the pyramid of western diet failures. What we see is that prevention takes much less extreme response than treatment, so I would like to stay there.

When I used to eat sugar (and fat, but I have been reeducated on that front), I felt like I was taking a break to preserve my mental state, dieting is hard! But I see it now as a true poison like alcohol. When I am tempted I can more easily decline when I think of how strict I would need to be to really prevent disease.

That has the added side effect of staying slim, which for cultural reasons is also very appealing to me. I am frustrated on both fronts because I feel I am being strict, but my clothes are telling me differently. I am in such a state of flux learning these lessons about hormones and metabolism on weight loss (rather than my old calories in and out hard math approach), that I don't really know what to do to "tighten my belt."

My daughter is in tears because she didn't lose any weight this past month or two, and her youth retreat (1,000 kids and lots of boys) is next week. She is saying all the same things I say. She feels healthy, she feels her weight is normal (her BMI was one point into the "at risk for overweight" category at her recent physical), that she has no health problems, pains, etc, and that losing weight is only for vanity when she is working hard to not care what others think about her. Especially since she really did make a good and solid run at the HFLC diet with zero results, I have no good answers for her.

There are a lot of kids who are not model thin. I am sure she is beautiful. She sounds like she is at a healthy weight. I would encourage her to just eat healthy food and her weight will take care of itself. Eating low carb also fixes any problems with complexion also. I wish I knew this stuff when I was young.
Carolyn

Welcome! That is good that you log everything. If you gain, you can then go back and look at what you eat and make adjustments. Don't wait until you are up 15 pounds to make adjustments. If you go up a pound or two when it is not the time of the month, then make some adjustments to what you eat. Maybe eat less protein, fewer carbs, even less fat if you are overeating it. Or give up some foods that can be problems for us women. It does take at least 3 months to know what works best for you. It took me a quite a while to tweak things so I lose consistently. At first I lost about 5 pounds and then it was up and down and up and down. But now I lose every week a little more than a pound. I am 56 so it takes me longer. When I was in my 30's I could lose just like that.
Carolyn

This is so encouraging. Thank you! Instead of whining and throwing up my hands in defeat I believe I need to take charge. With the tools that I have I know I can do that. I have a "sweet spot" somewhere and I just need to find it. This is exactly why I knew that I needed to start posting and stop lurking. People on this forum tell you like it is. Which is what I need sometimes.

And the good news is (drum roll please), I got out my keto blood kit this morning and my ketones were at 1.6!! That's so exciting for me. It means that this diet is working for me. Really, all I did was decrease my protein and increase my fat. Also keeping the calories in check too.

My breath is just awful too, which is what prompted me to get out the keto kit to test. It's so dang expensive, I've been saving the strips and only testing once a week. But I'm glad I used one this morning. This news is making me !!! From what I've learned though, bad ketone breath means you need to increase your H2O intake. That's one area I'm really bad at. No excuses though. I'm just going to do that starting today too.

This is so encouraging. Thank you! Instead of whining and throwing up my hands in defeat I believe I need to take charge. With the tools that I have I know I can do that. I have a "sweet spot" somewhere and I just need to find it. This is exactly why I knew that I needed to start posting and stop lurking. People on this forum tell you like it is. Which is what I need sometimes.

And the good news is (drum roll please), I got out my keto blood kit this morning and my ketones were at 1.6!! That's so exciting for me. It means that this diet is working for me. Really, all I did was decrease my protein and increase my fat. Also keeping the calories in check too.

My breath is just awful too, which is what prompted me to get out the keto kit to test. It's so dang expensive, I've been saving the strips and only testing once a week. But I'm glad I used one this morning. This news is making me !!! From what I've learned though, bad ketone breath means you need to increase your H2O intake. That's one area I'm really bad at. No excuses though. I'm just going to do that starting today too.

Yes, you should drink more water and also maybe reduce your protein intake.
Carolyn

In the morning after using the bathroom and weighing myself, I fill up a cup twice in my bathroom sink and glug 1-2 liters of water before doing anything else. I also have a 1L cup next to my fridge that I fill up and sip out of a few times a day. I've never noticed keto breath myself, but cannot speak for others not noticing, lol! I am not new to low carb or fasting, just never very low carb before.

My question is about reducing protein intake, specifically in regard to dairy, as you mentioned above that no carb foods like cream and cheese can still (somehow) inhibit weight loss. I want to keep my protein fairly low (again, some disturbing cancer research there), so how could one get enough fat without getting too much protein? For me, dairy cream and cheese were a solution, especially since mercury in fatty fish is a concern, but after being vegan for 8 years and almost dairy free for 15, I am on the fence about dairy.

We are switching to raw dairy (buying co op milk and hoping our goat has a baby this fall). Could that help one metabolize the dairy better in regard to weight loss? I am of the opinion that the body is seeking nutrients, and low nutrient diets increase appetite. So high nutrient foods (like grass and bug fed meat seafood dairy and egg products, produce from rich/organic soil), sate the appetite better. Maybe it is revving the metabolism, maybe it is reducing calorie intake. Either way, I am hoping grass-fed raw dairy will help my weight tolerate it better.

I am trying to keep my weight pretty low by American standards for health reasons, and keep my diet very clean in terms of nutrients and contaminants, because watching people die of a disease like cancer can ruin anyone's appetite.

I drink as much water as I can when I first get up, too. It's about the only way I keep from falling behind as the day progresses (and keep me from getting up at night). I am not sure what goat dairy will do for you, but lots of people turn to goat milk when they have trouble with cows milk. Goat butter is also good. One of the best ways to get fat that is not animal fat is coconut oil.

In the morning after using the bathroom and weighing myself, I fill up a cup twice in my bathroom sink and glug 1-2 liters of water before doing anything else. I also have a 1L cup next to my fridge that I fill up and sip out of a few times a day. I've never noticed keto breath myself, but cannot speak for others not noticing, lol! I am not new to low carb or fasting, just never very low carb before.

My question is about reducing protein intake, specifically in regard to dairy, as you mentioned above that no carb foods like cream and cheese can still (somehow) inhibit weight loss. I want to keep my protein fairly low (again, some disturbing cancer research there), so how could one get enough fat without getting too much protein? For me, dairy cream and cheese were a solution, especially since mercury in fatty fish is a concern, but after being vegan for 8 years and almost dairy free for 15, I am on the fence about dairy.

We are switching to raw dairy (buying co op milk and hoping our goat has a baby this fall). Could that help one metabolize the dairy better in regard to weight loss? I am of the opinion that the body is seeking nutrients, and low nutrient diets increase appetite. So high nutrient foods (like grass and bug fed meat seafood dairy and egg products, produce from rich/organic soil), sate the appetite better. Maybe it is revving the metabolism, maybe it is reducing calorie intake. Either way, I am hoping grass-fed raw dairy will help my weight tolerate it better.

I am trying to keep my weight pretty low by American standards for health reasons, and keep my diet very clean in terms of nutrients and contaminants, because watching people die of a disease like cancer can ruin anyone's
appetite.

One way to add fat without too much cream and cheese is to add butter to everything. Also you can eat more egg yoke and not as much egg white. Eat the fat of the meat. It really is very good if it is cooked well. For women, reducing calorie intake is a good idea. The smaller we get the less we need. I count my carbs and protein and then add in the fat. If my carbs and protein are kept low, I usually do not eat too much fat. I really don't think calories are as important as eating just the right amount of carbs and protein for your body. Than just add in the fat to the calories that you need to eat to lose. It really is a science experiment. My daughter-in-law wants to lose about 10 pounds. She had to lower her calories to about 1200 a day. She does not eat any grains or starchy veggies. She limits her protein, carbs, and fat. She eats more green vegetables than I do. She is finally losing the weight she wants. So everyone is different.
Carolyn

In the morning after using the bathroom and weighing myself, I fill up a cup twice in my bathroom sink and glug 1-2 liters of water before doing anything else. I also have a 1L cup next to my fridge that I fill up and sip out of a few times a day. I've never noticed keto breath myself, but cannot speak for others not noticing, lol! I am not new to low carb or fasting, just never very low carb before.

My question is about reducing protein intake, specifically in regard to dairy, as you mentioned above that no carb foods like cream and cheese can still (somehow) inhibit weight loss. I want to keep my protein fairly low (again, some disturbing cancer research there), so how could one get enough fat without getting too much protein? For me, dairy cream and cheese were a solution, especially since mercury in fatty fish is a concern, but after being vegan for 8 years and almost dairy free for 15, I am on the fence about dairy.

We are switching to raw dairy (buying co op milk and hoping our goat has a baby this fall). Could that help one metabolize the dairy better in regard to weight loss? I am of the opinion that the body is seeking nutrients, and low nutrient diets increase appetite. So high nutrient foods (like grass and bug fed meat seafood dairy and egg products, produce from rich/organic soil), sate the appetite better. Maybe it is revving the metabolism, maybe it is reducing calorie intake. Either way, I am hoping grass-fed raw dairy will help my weight tolerate it better.

I am trying to keep my weight pretty low by American standards for health reasons, and keep my diet very clean in terms of nutrients and contaminants, because watching people die of a disease like cancer can ruin anyone's appetite.

I believe if you stay away from all sugar and starches, you will help prevent cancer in your body. Cancer feeds on sugar and starch.
Carolyn

Picked up my first batch of raw milk yesterday, and today it is almost half cream floating on top! I am going to make some (grass fed) butter later. Still head scratching what to do with the skim milk underneath.

I don't have any obvious issues with dairy, so pinpointing any subtleties is harder. Hoping raw will help. If not, there is always goat milk in the fall, but i cannot even tell if she is pregnant. Fresh goat milk and prodcuts are tasty, but store bought is really nasty. I don't know why, but the older it gets the worse it tastes, even if cold, and even just a few days.